Data shaping system

ABSTRACT

Implementations of a data shaping system are provided. The data shaping system comprises a computer implemented algorithm that uses modifiers (e.g., time available to study, educational attainment of the user, etc.) to shape data, retrieved from one or more datasets, for consumption by a user. A dataset may comprise text, images, video, audio, or a combination thereof. The data shaping system is configured to curate data, 100 retrieved from selected datasets, using modifiers to shape (or assemble) an output document that is presented to the user for review. In this way, the user is provided with a curated subset of data, relevant to one or more topics of interest to the user, that has been tailored to their needs. In some implementations, the output document can be text, one or more images, audio, video, or a combination thereof.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 62/777,358, which was filed on Dec. 10, 2018, the entirety of whichis incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to implementations of a computer implementeddata shaping system. In particular, the present invention is primarilydirected to a computer program configured to search for, retrieve, andcurate data relevant to at least one topic of interest to a user, and topresent the user with an output document comprising the curated data.

BACKGROUND

The World Wide Web contains a vast collection of information aboutevery, or virtually every, imaginable subject. The World Wide Web can beaccessed through the Internet, and used to search for and shareinformation. Most users access the World Wide Web, via the Internet,using a web browser and a search engine. Unfortunately, searching theWorld Wide Web using a conventional search engine is extremelyinefficient due to the sheer volume of information available.Specifically, due to the abundance of available information,inefficiency results from time spent reviewing information/sourcesalready known to a user, validating the credibility of unknown sources,and reviewing irrelevant sources presented by the search engine. As aresult, users are separated from information that drives inspiration,creativity, and epiphanies by the cacophony of irrelevant, or at thevery least unhelpful, search results.

Accordingly, it can be seen that needs exist for the data shaping systemdisclosed herein. It is to the provision of a data shaping system thatis configured to address these needs, and others, that the presentinvention in primarily directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Implementations of a data shaping system are provided. The data shapingsystem comprises a computer implemented algorithm that uses modifiers(e.g., time available to study, educational attainment of the user,etc.) to shape data, retrieved from one or more datasets, forconsumption by a user. A dataset may comprise text, images, video,audio, or a combination thereof. The data shaping system is configuredto curate data, retrieved from selected datasets, using modifiers toshape (or assemble) an output document that is presented to the user forreview. In this way, the user is provided with a curated subset of data,relevant to one or more topics of interest to the user, that has beentailored to their needs. In some implementations, the output documentcan be text, one or more images, audio, video, or a combination thereof.

An exemplary implementation of a data shaping system comprises: a memorystoring a computer program, a network interface configured tocommunicate with client devices across a computer network; and aprocessor configured to execute the computer program. The computerprogram generates a graphical user interface, displayed by a clientdevice, in which a user can enter one or more search terms related to atopic of interest; the computer program, using the one or more searchterms, is configured to search one or more datasets, connected to thecomputer network, for data relevant to the topic of interest; thecomputer program is configured to retrieve data relevant to the topic ofinterest from the one or more datasets; the computer program, using oneor more modifiers, is configured to curate data relevant to the topic ofinterest retrieved from the one or more datasets, the one or moremodifiers are used to alter how the computer program prioritizes andsorts data being curated; the computer program, using curated datarelevant to the topic of interest, is configured to generate a curatedsubset of data; the computer program is configured to generate an outputdocument using the curated subset of data; and the computer program isconfigured to present the output document to the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example environment for the data shaping systemaccording to the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example data shaping system according to theprinciples of the present disclosure, wherein the data shaping system isshown having access to a network that is connected to at least fivedatasets.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart for an example implementation of the datashaping system according to the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates another example environment for the data shapingsystem according to the principles of the present disclosure.

Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The data shaping system comprises a computer implemented algorithm thatuses modifiers (e.g., time available to study, educational attainment ofthe user, etc.) to shape data, retrieved from one or more datasets, forconsumption by a user. A dataset may comprise text, images, video,audio, or a combination thereof. The data shaping system is configuredto curate data, retrieved from selected datasets, using modifiers toshape (or assemble) an output document that is presented to the user forreview. In this way, the user is provided with a curated subset of data,relevant to one or more topics of interest to the user (e.g., cellularbiology), that has been tailored to their needs.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example environment 100 in which the data shapingsystem of the present disclosure can operate. In some implementations,the environment 100 can include client devices 110 a and 110 b(collectively client device 110), a wireless cellular network 120, anetwork 125, and a website 130. Client devices 110 a and 110 b aredepicted as a mobile phone 110 a and desktop computer 110 b ,respectively, but client devices 110 may comprise any type of computingdevice, such as a desktop computer system, a laptop computer, asmartphone, a mobile telephone, a tablet-style computer, or any otherportable electronic device (e.g., a handheld electronic device or awearable electronic device).

In some implementations, the network 125 may be an intranet, anextranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), awireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan areanetwork (MAN), a portion of the Internet, or another network 125 or acombination of two or more such networks 125. The present disclosurecontemplates any suitable network 125.

In some implementations, the client device 110 a can connect to thenetwork 125 through a wireless cellular network 120, such as GPRS-basedand CDMA-based wireless networks, as well as 802.16 WiMax and long-rangewireless data networks.

Client devices 110 a and 110 b can interact with the website 130 via anapplication, such as a web browser or a native application, residing onthe client devices 110 a and 110 b.

In some implementations, the data shaping system may be an application(or a plugin for another application) stored on a client device 110. Thedata shaping system can generate a graphical user interface (GUI), thatis displayed by a client device 110, in which a user can enter one ormore search terms for a topic, or topics, of interest. In someimplementations, once the user has input search terms, the data shapingsystem is configured to search for and retrieve data (e.g., text,images, video, audio, or a combination thereof) from one or more sources(e.g., one or more websites 130) connected to the network 125, andcurate the selected dataset(s) using one or more modifiers. In this way,a curated subset of data relevant to the user's topic(s) of interest canbe generated. In some implementations, the data shaping system may beconfigured to generate one or more output documents using computerrendered templates and the curated subset of data compiled by the datashaping system.

In some implementations, the data shaping system may be configured sothat each user can create an account. The data shaping system mayassociate each user account with personal information (e.g., name of theuser), modifiers used to shape data by the data shaping system, otheruser related information (e.g., results of a reading test), or acombination thereof. In this way, the shaping algorithm 152 may berefined for a specific user. In some implementations, the data shapingsystem may generate a graphical user interface (GUI), that is displayedby a client device 110, wherein a user can enter account logininformation and thereby gain access to, and modify as necessary, theiraccount profile.

In some implementations, a curated subset of data is generated from oneor more datasets selected by the user, known to the data shaping system,or found by the data shaping system via a search of the network 125 thatare curated based on one or more modifiers. The curated subset of datamay be stored by the data shaping application on a client device 110. Insome implementations, a dataset may be a website 130, a database 132connected to a website 130, or a combination thereof.

In some implementations, the modifiers alter (or refine) how the shapingalgorithm 152 of the data shaping system prioritizes and sorts data(i.e., curates). In some implementations, the data shaping systemgenerates a graphical user interface (GUI), that is displayed by aclient device 110, wherein the user can set, or change, one or moremodifiers. These user set modifiers (or preferences) may include, butare not limited to, the amount of time a user has to review the outputdocument, educational attainment of the user, reading level of the user,subject matter competence, user interest, subject matter literacy, or acombination thereof.

In some implementations, the data shaping system is configured to testthe reading speed of a user and to use this information when cura tingone or more datasets for inclusion in an output document. In this way,for example, if the amount of time a user has to review the outputdocument is a selected modifier influencing the shaping algorithm 152,the user may be provided with an output document (e.g., a text document)of appropriate length.

As shown in FIG. 2, in some implementations, the data shaping system mayuse other modifiers to curate (or shape) one or more selected datasets.Example modifiers used by the data shaping system may include, but arenot limited to:

Heuristics 154 that aid the data shaping system with identifyingrelevant datasets based on similarities to the user selected topic(s) ofinterest; aggregating the identified datasets based on other modifiers.

An indexed database 156 of information comprising data collected fromone or more datasets by the data shaping system during a search (e.g., acurrent search, a previous search, or a combination thereof).

Feedback 158 generated by user reviews of the output document(s)prepared by the data shaping system. Feedback 158 could be stored by thedata shaping system and used to refine how future datasets are curated(or shaped) for inclusion in an output document prepared by the datashaping system for a user. In some implementations, the data shapingsystem may generate feedback 158 by tasking a user with identifying keywords, phrases, concepts, video segments, audio segments, or acombination thereof, that can be used by the shaping algorithm 152 torefine future output documents generated thereby.

References/Sources 160 found during a search that could be pulled toaugment the output document provided to the user. In someimplementations, the credibility of one or more references/sources 160could be assessed and weighted based on the presence of citations andtheir number, the origin of the dataset (e.g., a university website(.edu), a government website (.gov), etc.), or a combination thereof.

In some implementations, while a selected dataset is being curated (orshaped), the data shaping system may be configured to alter data-types(e.g., transcribe audio to text). As a nonlimiting example, in someimplementations, a selected dataset (e.g., a 1-hour video) may becurated (or shaped) by the data shaping system for consumption by a userhaving limited time (e.g., 10 minutes). Then, the user may be given theoption to convert (or transcribe) the video to text for fasterconsumption, since most users can review a transcript faster than avideo presenting the same information. As another nonlimiting example,in some implementations, the data shaping system may be configured toconvert tabular data into an infographic (e.g., a chart). In this way,the user is able to select how data is presented in the output documentprovided by the data shaping system.

The output document comprises a curated subset of data about one or moreuser selected topic(s) that is the product of the data shaping system.The output document may be stored by the data shaping application on aclient device 110. In some implementations, the curated subset of data,and the output document generated therefrom, is an assemblage ofinformation compiled by the data shaping system using the modifiers(e.g., educational attainment of, and time available to, the user) toselect (or prioritize) the information included therein. In this way,for example, the data shaping system can provide the user with an outputdocument that includes information relevant to the educationalattainment of, and the time available to, the user. Thus, the datashaping system allows the user to more efficiently consume data relevantto the selected topic(s). In some implementations, the output documentmay include citations (e.g., parenthetical citations), hyperlink(s) torelated data sources, highlighted text, or a combination thereof.

In some implementations, the data shaping system may be configured toidentify a claim asserted by the author of a selected dataset and searchfor additional references (or datasets) that support the claim, refutethe claim, or a combination thereof. The result(s) of this supplementalsearch may be presented as part of the output document provided to theuser. In some implementations, the reference(s) presented to the user bythe data shaping system may be limited to those that support a consensusfound amongst the searched sources, even if the consensus is contrary tothe author's claim. In this way, the user can be made aware of claimsthat deviate from a consensus.

In some implementations, the data shaping system may be configured toweight the evidence supporting a claim (e.g., a scientific claim) setforth in a selected dataset (e.g., a scientific white paper). In thisway, the data shaping system is provided with another way to curate (orshape) a dataset. In some implementations, by assessing other indexeddatasets, the data shaping system may be able to weight the validity ofan asserted claim. In some implementations, an asserted claim (e.g., ascientific claim) of a selected dataset that is curated for use as partof the output document may be highlighted if it is correct. In someimplementations, highlighting a portion, or portions, of the outputdocument may include, but is not limited to, adding additional textrelated to the validity of the claim to the output document, changingthe color of the text, including an icon indicating the validity of theclaim, or a combination thereof. Any additional text included as part ofthe output document may be pulled from an indexed dataset that was usedto weight the validity of the asserted claim.

In some implementations, the data shaping system may be configured toinclude links to information that is relevant, or at least related, tothe topic(s) presented in the output document. In this way, the user maybe provided with additional insight about their topic(s) of interest. Insome implementations, any included links may be tied to the evidenceweighting function of the data shaping system that was discussed above.

In some implementations, the data shaping system may be configured toaugment (or change) a previously presented output document withadditional information (or data) in the event of a user set modifierchanging (e.g., the amount of time a user has to review the outputdocument increases). As a nonlimiting example, in some implementations,the data shaping system may be configured to re-curate (or re-shape) theone or more datasets originally curated and to provide an updated outputdocument for consumption by a user. In this way, the user may beprovided with a re-curated subset of data, in the form of an updatedoutput document, that has been re-tailored to their changing needs. Asanother nonlimiting example, in some implementations, the data shapingsystem may search for one or more new datasets relevant to the user'stopic of interest in response to a user set modifier changing, curatethe new dataset(s), and generate an updated output document thatincludes the curated subset of data generated from the originaldataset(s) and/ or the new dataset(s). In this way, the user is providedwith an updated output document that includes additional data abouttheir topic(s) of interest.

In some implementations, one or more user set modifiers may change inresponse to an e-mail and/or text message received by an applicationstored on a client device 110. As a nonlimiting example, in someimplementations, the data shaping system may be configured to retrieve(or receive) data from an e-mail (or text message) that has beenreceived by the client device 110 on which the data shaping system isinstalled. The retrieved (or received) information may change one ormore user set modifiers (e.g., the amount of time a user has to reviewthe output document), thereby causing the shaping algorithm 152 tore-curate the one or more datasets originally curated and to provide anupdated output document for consumption by a user (see, e.g., FIG. 3).

In some implementations, during a search for one or more datasetsrelevant to the user's topic(s) of interest, the data shaping system maybe configured to index (or select) internet sourced datasets based ontheir popularity (e.g., the number of visitors a particular websitereceives, the number of books sold, etc.), the projected popularitythereof, or a combination thereof.

In some implementations, the data shaping system may be configured toproactively index internet sourced datasets based on popularity and tocreate pre-shaped datasets that can be refined in real-time. The userset modifiers may be used by the shaping algorithm 152 to refine thesepre-shaped datasets for a specific user. In this way, the user isprovided with a curated subset of data that has been tailored to theirneeds. In some implementations, the data shaping system may beconfigured to index internet sourced datasets based on popularity and tocreate a curated (or shaped) dataset in real-time. A dataset's form(e.g., video, audio, etc.) may influence whether the data shaping systemproactively indexes a dataset or does so in real-time. For example,video and audio datasets may require proactive indexing so that theshaping algorithm 152 of the data shaping system can efficientlytranscribe the video (or audio) to text and/or collect other metadata(e.g., silence) for later use (e.g., analysis).

In some implementations, the data shaping system may be configured sothat a user can highlight, or link to, one or more portions of a curated(or shaped) subset of data generated thereby. This feedback 158 could berecorded (or stored) by the data shaping system for future use by theshaping algorithm 152.

In some implementations, the data shaping system may be configured towork in conjunction with an sensor, such as an eye tracker, to determinehow much time a user spends reviewing one or more portions of the outputdocument. The data collected by the eye tracker may be used by theshaping algorithm 152 of the data shaping system to weight one or moreportions of the curated subset of data being consumed by the user.

In some implementations, the data shaping system may be configured towork in conjunction with other sensor types that are configured todetect physiological (e.g., heart rate, etc.) changes in the user. Thedata collected by these sensors could be used to weight one or moreportions of the curated subset of data being consumed by the user.

In some implementations, collected sensor data (e.g., eye movement,heart rate, etc.) could be stored as feedback and used by the shapingalgorithm 152 to refine how selected datasets are curated (or shaped)thereby.

In some implementations, data previously excluded from the curatedsubset of data compiled by the data shaping system (i.e., the outputdocument) may be added thereto if the user set modifiers are changed(e.g., the amount of time a user has to review the output documentincreases). In some implementations, this previously excluded data maybe added as one or more separate sections to an updated output document.In this way, the user may avoid spending time re-consuming data. In someimplementations, data previously excluded by the data shaping system maybe integrated into a previously curated subset of data, but thepreviously excluded data may be highlighted to differentiate it fromdata that was part of the original curated dataset. In this way, forexample, the user may be made aware of how much a particular dataset wascondensed and/or what was added.

In some implementations, the data shaping system may be configured towork with a new class of HTML tags. These HTML tags may be configured toassist the data shaping system with prioritizing datasets during asearch for data relevant to the user's topic(s) of interest (i.e., anHTML tag may act as a filter for the shaping algorithm).

In some implementations, the data shaping system is configured to curatetext files, one or more images files, video files, audio files, or acombination thereof. In some implementations, the data shaping systemmay be configured to curate another form of data, developed in thefuture, that would be known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

In some implementations, the output document may be presented as text,one or more images, video, audio, or a combination thereof. The outputdocument is presented to the user via a display of a client device 110.In addition to, or in the alternative, the output document may bepresented to the user in some other corresponding multimedia manner, forexample, as an audio clip played by the speaker(s) of the client device110.

In some implementations, the data shaping system may be configured tostore one or more curated subsets of data (or output document(s)) on aclient device 110, and to allow a user to access a previously curatedsubset of data (or output document). In this way, if a user wants toreview a previously provided subset of data for any reason, a user maybacktrack to a previously curated subset of data.

In some implementations, the data shaping system may include averification component for content and/or content creators. In this way,the data shaping system may be able to select datasets which includecurrent and/or accurate information. In some implementations, theverification component of the data shaping system may be configured toverify the identify and/or credentials of a content creator. In someimplementations, the verification component of the data shaping systemmay be configured to allow users and/or content creators to providefeedback on one or more datasets (e.g., a ranking system).

In some implementations, the data shaping system can use crowd sourcedinformation (e.g., feedback) to optimize the operation of the shapingalgorithm. In some implementations, crowd sourced information may beused by the data shaping system to change (or set) one or moremodifiers. In this way, output documents provided by the data shapingsystem may be refined as a result of the crowd sourced information.

FIG. 4 illustrates another example environment 400 in which the datashaping system of the present disclosure can operate. The exampleenvironment 400 can include a network 410, one or more servers 420, andone or more clients 430. The example environment 400 can also includeone or more data storage 440 linked to one or more servers 420.Particular embodiments may be implemented in the network environment400. For example, application software used to perform the functionsdescribed above in connection with the data shaping system may be hostedby one or more servers 420.

In some implementations, the network 410 may be an intranet, anextranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), awireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan areanetwork (MAN), a portion of the Internet, or another network 410 or acombination of two or more such networks 410. The present disclosurecontemplates any suitable network 410.

One or more links 450 couple a server 420 or a client 430 to the network410. In some implementations, one or more links 450 each can include oneor more wired, wireless, or optical links 450. In some implementations,one or more links 450 each can include an intranet, an extranet, a VPN,a LAN, a WLAN, a WAN, a MAN, a portion of the Internet, or another link450 or a combination of two or more such links 450. The presentdisclosure contemplates any suitable links 450 coupling servers 420 andclients 430 to network 410.

In some implementations, each server 420 may be a unitary server or maybe a distributed server spanning multiple computers or multipledatacenters. Servers 420 may be of various types, such as, for exampleand without limitation, web server, file server, application server,exchange server, database server, or proxy server. In someimplementations, each server 420 may include hardware, software, orembedded logic components or a combination of two or more suchcomponents for carrying out the appropriate functionalities implementedor supported by server 420. For example, a web server is generallycapable of hosting websites containing web pages or particular elementsof web pages. More specifically, a web server may host HTML files orother file types, or may dynamically create or constitute files upon arequest, and communicate them to clients 430 in response to HTTP orother requests from clients 430. A database server is generally capableof providing an interface for managing data stored in one or more datastores.

In some implementations, one or more data storages 440 may becommunicatively linked to one or more servers 420 via one or more links450. In some implementations, data storages 440 may be used to storevarious types of information. In some implementations, the informationstored in data storages 440 may be organized according to specific datastructures. In a particular embodiment, each data storage 440 may be arelational database. Particular embodiments may provide interfaces thatenable servers 420 or clients 430 to manage, e.g., retrieve, modify,add, or delete, the information stored in data storage 440.

In some implementations, each client 430 may be an electronic deviceincluding hardware, software, or embedded logic components or acombination of two or more such components and capable of carrying outthe appropriate functions implemented or supported by client 430. Forexample, and without limitation, a client 430 may be any type ofcomputing device such as a desktop computer system, a laptop computer, asmartphone, a mobile telephone, a tablet-style computer, or any otherportable electronic device (e.g., a handheld electronic device or awearable electronic device). The present disclosure contemplates anysuitable clients 430. A client 430 may enable a network user at client430 to access the network 410. A client 430 may enable its user tocommunicate with other users at other clients 430.

A client 430 may have a web browser 432, such as Microsoft InternetExplorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, or any otherfuture developed web browser and may have one or more add-ons, plug-ins,or other extensions. A user at client 430 may enter a Uniform ResourceLocator (URL) or other address directing the web browser 432 to a server420, and the web browser 432 may generate a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol(HTTP) request and communicate the HTTP request to the server 420. Theserver 420 may accept the HTTP request and communicate to client 430 oneor more Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) files responsive to the HTTPrequest. Client 430 may render a web page based on the HTML files fromserver 420 for presentation to the user. The present disclosurecontemplates any suitable web page files. As an example, and not by wayof limitation, web pages may render from HTML files, Extensible HyperText Markup Language (XHTML) files, or Extensible Markup Language (XML)files, according to particular needs. Such pages may also executescripts such as, for example and without limitation, those written inJavaScript, Java, combinations of markup language and scripts such asAJAX (Asynchronous JAVASCRIPT and XML), and the like. Herein, referenceto a web page encompasses one or more corresponding web page files(which a browser may use to render the web page) and vice versa, whereappropriate.

In some implementations, a client 430 having a web browser 432 canconnect to a server 420 to use the data shaping system described above.In some implementations, the data shaping system may be stored in a datastorage 440 communicatively linked to the servers 420. In someimplementations, information entered by, or collected from, a userinteracting with the data shaping system may be stored in a data storage440 communicatively linked to the servers 420, on a client 430, or acombination thereof. In some implementations, one or more datasets,curated subsets of data, output documents, and any other files generatedby, or in connection with the operation of, the data shaping system maybe stored in a data storage 440 communicatively linked to the servers420, on a client 430, or a combination thereof. In some implementations,the data storage 440 may be a database.

In some implementations the method or methods described above inconnection with the data shaping system may be executed or carried outby a computing system including a tangible computer-readable storagemedium, also described herein as a storage machine, that holdsmachine-readable instructions executable by a logic machine (i.e. aprocessor or programmable control device) to provide, implement,perform, and/or enact the above described methods, processes and/ortasks. When such methods and processes are implemented, the state of thestorage machine may be changed to hold different data. For example, thestorage machine may include memory devices such as various hard diskdrives, solid-state drives, and CD/DVD/Blu-ray devices. The logicmachine may execute machine-readable instructions via one or morephysical information and/or logic processing devices. For example, thelogic machine may be configured to execute instructions to perform tasksfor a computer program. The logic machine may include one or moreprocessors to execute the machine-readable instructions. The computingsystem may include a display subsystem to display a graphical userinterface (GUI) or any visual element of the methods or processesdescribed above. For example, the display subsystem, storage machine,and logic machine may be integrated such that the above method may beexecuted while visual elements of the disclosed system and/or method aredisplayed on a display screen for user consumption. The computing systemmay include an input subsystem that receives user input. The inputsubsystem may be configured to connect to and receive input from devicessuch as a mouse, keyboard or gaming controller. For example, a userinput may indicate a request that a certain task is to be executed bythe computing system, such as requesting the computing system to displayany of the above described information, or requesting that the userinput updates or modifies existing stored information for processing. Acommunication subsystem may allow the methods described above to beexecuted or provided over a computer network. For example, thecommunication subsystem may be configured to enable the computing systemto communicate with a plurality of personal computing devices. Thecommunication subsystem may include wired and/or wireless communicationdevices to facilitate networked communication. The described methods orprocesses may be executed, provided, or implemented for a user on one ormore computing devices via a computer program product such as via anapplication programming interface (API).

While the data shaping system is primarily described as producing outputdocuments for educational purposes, it should be understood that, thedata shaping system can be used to produce output documents forentertainment purposes as well.

Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment” or“implementation” or words of similar import means that a particulardescribed feature, structure, or characteristic is included in at leastone embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the phrase “in someimplementations” or a phrase of similar import in various placesthroughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the sameembodiment.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forthherein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which theseinventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing descriptions and the associated drawings.

The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combinedin any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the abovedescription, numerous specific details are provided for a thoroughunderstanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in therelevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments of the inventioncan be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or withother methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances,well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown ordescribed in detail.

While operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order,this should not be understood as requiring that such operations beperformed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or thatall illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results.

1. A data shaping system comprising: a memory storing a computerprogram; a network interface configured to communicate with clientdevices across a computer network; and a processor configured to executethe computer program; wherein the computer program generates a graphicaluser interface, displayed by a client device, in which a user can enterone or more search terms related to a topic of interest; wherein thecomputer program, using the one or more search terms, is configured tosearch one or more datasets, connected to the computer network, for datarelevant to the topic of interest; wherein the computer program isconfigured to retrieve data relevant to the topic of interest from theone or more datasets; wherein the computer program, using one or moremodifiers, is configured to curate data relevant to the topic ofinterest retrieved from the one or more datasets, the one or moremodifiers are used to alter how the computer program prioritizes andsorts data being curated; wherein the computer program, using curateddata relevant to the topic of interest, is configured to generate acurated subset of data; wherein the computer program is configured togenerate an output document using the curated subset of data; andwherein the computer program is configured to present the outputdocument to the user.
 2. The data shaping system of claim 1, whereineach of the one or more datasets is a website, a database connected to awebsite, or a combination thereof.
 3. The data shaping system of claim1, wherein the computer program is configured so that the user cancreate a user account, the user account is associated with the one ormore modifiers used to curate data, relevant to the topic of interest,retrieved from the one or more datasets.
 4. The data shaping system ofclaim 3, wherein the computer program generates a graphical userinterface, displayed by the client device, in which the user can selectthe one or more modifiers used to curate data.
 5. The data shapingsystem of claim 4, wherein the one or more modifiers used by thecomputer program to curate data are selected from the group consistingof: a time limit, educational attainment of the user, reading level ofthe user, subject matter competence, user interest, and subject matterliteracy.
 6. The data shaping system of claim 4, wherein each of the oneor more datasets is a website, a database connected to a website, or acombination thereof.
 7. The data shaping system of claim 3, wherein thecomputer program is configured to test the reading speed of the user andto associate a result of the reading test with the user account, theresult of the reading test is used by the computer program to curatedata relevant to the topic of interest and thereby generate an outputdocument that the user should be able to read within an elected timeperiod.
 8. The data shaping system of claim 4, wherein the one or moremodifiers used by the computer program to curate data are selected fromthe group consisting of: heuristics that aid with identifying datasetsrelevant to the topic of interest, an indexed database of informationcomprising data collected from one or more datasets by the computerprogram, feedback used to refine how data retrieved from one or moredatasets is curated for inclusion in the output document; and sourcesfound during the search that can be included as part of the outputdocument.
 9. The data shaping system of claim 1, wherein the data,relevant to the topic of interest, retrieved by the computer program canbe text, one or more images, video, audio, or a combination thereof. 10.The data shaping system of claim 9, wherein the computer program, whilegenerating a curated subset of data, is configured to convert audio totext for inclusion in the curated subset of data.
 11. The data shapingsystem of claim 9, wherein the computer program, while generating acurated subset of data, is configured to convert tabular data into aninfographic for inclusion in the curated subset of data.
 12. The datashaping system of claim 1, wherein the output document generated by thecomputer program is a multimedia presentation.
 13. The data shapingsystem of claim 1, wherein the curated subset of data is an assemblageof information, about the topic of interest, compiled by the computerprogram using the one or more modifiers to refine the informationincluded therein.
 14. The data shaping system of claim 13, wherein theoutput document generated by the computer program is a multimediapresentation.
 15. The data shaping system of claim 1, wherein thecomputer program, in response to at least one of the one or moremodifiers changing, is configured to augment the output document. 16.The data shaping system of claim 15, wherein the computer program, inresponse to at least one of the one or more modifiers changing, isconfigured to re-curate data, relevant to the topic of interest,retrieved from the one or more datasets; and to generate a new curatedsubset of data used to augment the output document generated by thecomputer program.
 17. The data shaping system of claim 1, wherein thecomputer program is configured to work in conjunction with one or moresensors configured to detect physiological changes in the user, datacollected by the one or more sensors can be used by the computer programto refine how data, relevant to the topic of interest, is curated. 18.The data shaping system of claim 1, wherein the computer program isconfigured to add data, that was previously excluded during curation, tothe curated subset of data in response to at least one of the one ormore modifiers changing; the computer program, in response to new databeing added to the curated subset of data, is configured to generate anew output document using the curated subset of data; and the computerprogram is configured to present the new output document to the user.19. The data shaping system of claim 18, wherein the computer program isconfigured to highlight text data added to the new output document. 20.The data shaping system of claim 1, wherein the memory storing thecomputer program and the processor configured to execute the computerprogram are embodied within at least one of a smart phone, atablet-style computer, a personal computer, a laptop computer.